Micheál Martin

The Deputy knows the answer to that. I am as anxious as he is to get a flood relief plan enacted and implemented as quickly as possible. The Deputy does not have a monopoly on concern. I went down to visit and meet with people who were victims of the floods on that occasion.

The sooner we can get this done the better. The Deputy has a habit of making commentary that is not accurate and I take issue with that. He did this on a previous occasion in respect of another issue, when what he said was inaccurate and wrong. He is doing it again today in saying I was disdainful. He is saying to the people of Castlemartyr and Killeagh that I am disdainful. That is what he is tr…

This is a serious issue for people. The Deputy should not underestimate my commitment or that of the Minister of State, Deputy Moran, to dealing with it. The Deputy knows it involves a lot of stakeholders and a lot of consultation with people. The sooner we get it done the better and the Government is committed to getting it done.

I thank the Deputy for raising a very important issue. He is correct that the NTA has statutory responsibility in this matter. The authority is currently finalising plans for late-night services over the Christmas period and will publish full details of those arrangements late next week. The Deputy has been a strong advocate for this service and for clarity around it. I will alert the authority ag…

As I outlined earlier to Deputy Dolan, the Minister for housing is looking at guidelines and will bring forward a national planning statement that will create guidelines and frameworks for both onshore wind and solar energy. The entire objective is to balance energy security and sustainability with ensuring development does not impinge on residential amenity or people's quality of life.

I did not just announce it; the Government allocated funding for it. The Deputy was on the council until recently and probably knows more about it than he lets on. It is a council responsibility to present the plan to the Government. Up until quite recently, a plan had not arrived at the Government in respect of this. Apparently, there were issues with sites, property and all the rest of it. Later…

In the budget, as the Deputy knows, we have reduced the VAT-----

-----for the next five years to 9% on electricity and so on, for which we have provided a lot of resources. If we did not do that, it would have resulted in significantly higher bills. We have also substantially improved the situation. We have increased the free fuel allowance and expanded the number of people who will be able to get it. For example, those on working family payments will be able t…

There is no policy framework leaving anyone behind, let us be frank about it. It is an operational issue for the Garda Commissioner. The policy framework is to dramatically increase recruitment into An Garda Síochána and training in Templemore, and that is happening. We had the biggest intake into Templemore recently with 220 recruits. Some 200 have also graduated. What is happening is that, progr…

Midnight?

First, I will say to Deputy McGettigan that I will talk to the Minister for justice, Deputy O'Callaghan, about Part 5 of the Act in respect of the code of practice for CCTV cameras. With regard to Deputy O'Gorman's question, that emerged at the last COP in a very rushed way. We have to apply our resources to where we are going to get yield. I cannot see any prospect of a fossil fuel non-prolifera…

Yes, but in areas where we can get results. Our climate finance is one area where we have done quite well.

I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 to 13, inclusive, together. The Cabinet subcommittee on Northern Ireland was created on 18 February 2025 to oversee implementation of relevant programme for Government commitments and ongoing developments in relation to Northern Ireland, Irish-British relations, and the shared island initiative. As well as considering issues relevant to the Government's position…

I thank all of the Deputies for raising a variety of issues. Deputy Brendan Smith was first up. In respect of the legacy framework, the measures announced in the joint framework were published in September and provide a pathway to truth and accountability. That is why I went to London to meet Keir Starmer. It was one of those trips. I take it that people accept that we have to go to London every n…

The Deputy kind of said we could not wait.

I know. I am not trying to-----

I just think we need to really focus on reconciliation on a constant, constant basis.

It is hard work but it does bear great fruit in terms of the North and South and different traditions and political backgrounds within the North as well.

It is very important that we consistently do that. I do not think citizens' assemblies are in any shape or form an appropriate route for discussing the future of Ireland or the constitutional framework into the future.

I just do not believe it at all, because anyone who knows anything about the North - and I have been involved all my life politically; I have been involved in discussions about the devolution of justice, for example, and I was in the Government when the Good Friday Agreement was first signed - knows it means people-to-people engagement. It means political parties engaging. It means political tradi…

What I am always amused by-----

Fianna Fáil as a party has committed to the North with great substance over the years - Charles Haughey, Albert Reynolds and Bertie Ahern in terms of the Good Friday Agreement. In this Government and the last, we did something that has never been done in the shared island initiative. Some €1 billion from 2020 to 2025 and beyond and another €1 billion in this programme for Government, which is brin…

One second, please. I am just trying to make a point.

In terms of a blueprint, why is Sinn Féin afraid to bring forward a blueprint?

I know.